Back to the Future
by Cinderfire16
Summary: Firestar and Co. get dragged from their (not-so) cozy lives a million moons into the future. Absolute chaos ensues.
1. Prologue: Disappeared

There were many cats in StarClan, Bluestar mused as she padded around in search of her mate, Oakheart, and her sister, Snowfur. Many had died after the Great Battle, including her successor, Firestar, but many more lived on.

"Hello, Bluestar!" Stonefur meowed from where he and Mosskit chatted happily on Warmrocks.

"Hello, you two. Having fun?"

"Yes!" The little grey and white she-cat flew toward her mother, but Bluestar stopped her from crashing just in time. "Stonefur was telling me about what RiverClan was like! It was fun!"

"I think you would have liked ThunderClan better." The blue-grey leader purred mischievously. "ThunderClan rules!" Bluestar snickered.

"ThunderClan rules!" Mosskit chirped after her mother.

"Hey!" A red-furred tom with bright green eyes padded over at the sight of his family. "I take offense to that!"

"Daddy!" Mosskit barreled into Oakheart, who received his daughter with open paws. "I bet it's true!" She grinned.

"Yeah, sure, kit. RiverClan cats can swim, but what can you stinky ThunderClan cats do?" He challenged playfully.

"We climb trees!" Mosskit yowled. "Look, Daddy! I can climb!"

Stonefur, Oakheart, and Bluestar watched as Mosskit scrabbled onto a low-hanging tree branch from a nearby rock.

"Very good!" Bluestar purred. "Now get down before you hurt yourself!"

* * *

Firestar glared down at the pool to the living. He'd been in StarClan for more than a quarter moon, and he missed Sandstorm and his kits desperately. It wasn't fair! Why did he have to go when Sandstorm needed him? Why couldn't she come too?!

"You can wish all you want, but she won't join you before her time." A dark grey she-cat with a broad, flattened face and piercing orange glare loped over to where the great ginger leader sat. "None of them will."

"I know, I know; it's no good to whine, but what's the point of StarClan when Sandstorm isn't here to make everything perfect?"

"StarClan is here to wait on those living and help them spend their lives the best they know how, so that when they join us, it is without regrets."

"What do you know about regrets, Yellowfang? Or Sandstorm and I, for that matter?"

"I know plenty about regrets, Firestar. I also know what it's like to lose your mate. It will heal over time, but you must wait. You cannot interfere with the living. There are plenty of cats in the same predicament as you, Firestar. You are not alone."

The grey medicine cat left her would-be son to his own devices. He would have to learn.

* * *

Silverstream stared through a different pool with the same results. Greystripe seemed happy with his life, and who was she to get in the way of that?

"You shouldn't torture yourself like this." The silver tabby whirled around at the presence of a new cat. He was ThunderClan by scent, a sandy grey tom with blue eyes.

"My name is Thrushpelt, and I was in love with Bluestar for the longest time." He admitted.

"Her heart belonged to her RiverClan mate, though, and I knew that she would never love me the way she did him. I accepted that and moved on."

"You make it sound so easy," Silverstream muttered.

"It's not. It takes time that you don't want to spend alone and patience that you don't want to have, but mostly it takes understanding. If he really has moved on, then you'll eventually have to do the same. It doesn't look like he has, though, so keep your head up. That Millie is a terrible mother. Even though Bluestar lost one of her kits, she did everything for their good in the long run. It's no wonder Millie's kit turned to the Dark Forest. No one else made time for her, poor thing... I best be going, but please think on what I've told you. It was nice to meet you, Silverstream."

* * *

"Hello," Cinderpelt bristled before the sound of the familiar voice reached her ears. She hated when cats snuck up on her. It was not a fun feeling, getting shocked out of your fur.

"Hello, Whitestorm, Lionheart." She dipped her head to the white tom and the golden tabby in turn. "What can I do for you?"

Whitestorm turned to his golden companion, who seemed nervous.

"Definitely yours, my friend." The snow-white tom chuckled.

"Didn't catch that?"

"Well, I wanted to apologize." Lionheart began. "I've been... avoiding you, per say. I didn't get the chance to be your father in life, and I'm completely messing up my chance to do the same now. I didn't think I was truly ready for kits until I started to mentor Greystripe, and by then it was too late. I didn't get that much time with you all in general, but I can fix that, and I'd like to."

"Sure?" Cinderpelt was puzzled, but Lionheart was a good cat and if he was making an effort then why couldn't she? "Where do you want to start?"

Whitestorm smiled as father and daughter loped off to who knew where. Cinderpelt was a good cat. They both deserved this.

* * *

Firestar had no idea where he was. It was dark but warm and he was obviously pressed against another cat but Sandstorm hadn't joined them yet and oh how he missed Sandstorm… He still didn't know where he was, and if he could just _open his eyes_ -

"Oh! Look, Forrestheart, Firekit has opened his eyes! Indeed he had, as he now looked into the faces of two much bigger cats, one of them a ginger queen with green eyes and the other a dark grey tom with amber eyes.

"Why are his eyes blue?" The tom, Forrestheart, wondered.

"All kits are born with blue eyes. They change color as they adapt to light." The queen informed her mate.

"Oh. Alright. if you say so, Gingerpelt. I've got to set up the patrols. I'll stop by later, though. Maybe the other two will be up by then."

Firestar glanced around to see that there were two other kits beside him. One was a long-haired grey tabby with a thick, darker stripe along his back while the other was a black tom with white on the end of his tail.

 _Greystripe and Ravenpaw… I've missed you, old friends._

"Are you alright, Firekit?" He would definitely get used to having that name.

"Who else is in the nursery?" He asked. Ugh, he sounded terrible! His voice was high and squeaky… Greystripe would never let him live this down!

"Fawnpelt gave birth to Sandkit and Dustkit not too long before you were born, and Bluekit and Whitekit were born to Flowertail a couple days before them. Darkkit, Silverkit, and Cinderkit were born to Birchheart the day after you three, and Yellowkit is Whitekit and Bluekit's sister. They were born to Longclaw and Fallenleap, but she died during the kitting, poor thing. I don't think I'm missing anyone... That seems to be everyone."

"And where are we?"

"This is ThunderClan, of course. You'll learn more as you go out and explore, but for now, why don't you go back to sleep?"

He could feel his eyes drooping at her suggestion, and he scoffed internally. If this was what would happen for the next few moons, he could see why kits hated it. Compared to being leader, though? He deserved the rest.


	2. One: Reborn

"Sandkit!" Firekit had finally been allowed to go outside a few days later, along with his brothers, who had finally opened their eyes. As it were, the tan she-kit and her dark brown brother were chasing Cinderkit and Silverkit around while the other four watched on with an air of utter disinterest.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you." He mumbled into her fur.

"It's good to see you too, Firestar." she purred softly. Greykit had run into Silverkit and promptly yowled his joy to the whole camp.

"Shut up, mousebrain, they don't know who we really are!" Dustkit snapped.

"I don't care." Greykit grumbled, but he quieted down as Silverkit licked his cheek.

"Why aren't you four playing like the others?" Firekit asked of Bluekit Whitekit, Yellowkit and Darkkit.

"What's the point?" Darkkit scoffed. "You Clan cats aren't worth my time."

"Scourge?"

"Hello, Firestar." The black cat sneered.

"Look, Scourge, I don't know how this happened, but we're apart of ThunderClan so we have to act like ThunderClan cats. If you talk like an outsider then they'll figure us out before you can say "mouse!" I don't know what happened to make you act like you've got fire ants in your pelt but I can guarantee that it won't happen here. ThunderClan accepted me as a kittypet so you can be sure they wouldn't scorn a Clanborn cat, which is exactly what all of us are. Can we call a truce?"

"Truce." Darkkit muttered numbly. He couldn't believe that the ginger tom had answered all his insecurities in one blow… but he would do anything to get away from his legacy, and even more to be treated better than he had with Socks and Ruby, like he belonged somewhere, without having to make everyone hate him.

"Alright then. Welcome to ThunderClan, brother. It's gonna be great when we're all apprentices." Cinderkit chirped.

"It's good to have you back, Cinderpelt." Yellowkit chuckled. She had missed her ever-cheerful apprentice.

* * *

They all agreed that they had no idea how they got to ThunderClan, especially not as kits.

"Could it be StarClan?" Silverkit wondered aloud.

"I don't think so." Whitekit offered. "Lionheart seemed rather shocked when Cinderpelt and I disappeared. There's probably something more behind this."

"There are some things that StarClan cannot change." Yellowkit mewed wisely. "No matter what path you take, the outcome remains the same… at least for some cats."

"So who do StarClan follow?"

"Fate happens." Darkkit offered. "Your -our, I guess- ancestors are shown the path of every cat from birth to death, and they do their best to keep them on what is considered the right path, but for there to be good cats, there must be bad ones. That's the nature of balance."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's something I've had the unfortunate privilege of learning at an early age."

* * *

Moons passed and not much happened. Firekit met the leader, Lakestar, and his mate, Birchheart, who was mother to Cinderkit, Silverkit and Darkkit. She was arrogant beyond belief, worse than Darkstripe! Luckily, they didn't have to be in her presence for long.

"How do you deal with her?" Greykit scowled. "She acts like she owns the forest for no reason at all! I know good and well that Sandstorm never acted like that!"  
"I would hope not!" Sandkit scoffed crossly. "Redtail would make me smell like mouse-bile for an entire moon if I ever tried to talk to any cat the way she talks to them! I never even told Firestar that much, and we despised each other at first!"

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

"Still the longest call ever!" Dustkit mewed as they stumbled out of the nursery. Bluekit, Whitekit, and Yellowkit stood at the base of the Highledge, being groomed by their respective parents.

"Of course they'll have their ceremonies first!" Sandkit realized. "They're the oldest!"

"Today, we celebrate the start of true Clan life for three young cats. Bluekit, step forward."

The grey former leader of ThunderClan strode towards Lakestar, purpose in her eyes.

"From this day forth, until you receive your warrior name, you will be called Bluepaw. Mousestep, you have been taught well by Longpelt. I hope you will pass on all you know to this young apprentice."

"I'll make you proud, Lakestar!" The young brown warrior crowed as he padded forward to touch noses with the newly-named Bluepaw. The she-cat snickered quietly as she took in her mentor's excited demeanor. He was worse than Greystripe.

"I know you will."

The two joined the rest of the crowd and Lakestar continued.

"Whitekit, from this day forth, until you receive your warrior name, you will be called Whitepaw. Fernshadow, you have been taught well by Clawtooth. I hope you will pass on your knowledge to this young apprentice."

"I'll do my best, Lakestar."

Finally, it was Yellowkit's turn, the dark grey she-kit's orange eyes were dark with apprehension.

"Yellowkit, is it true that you wish to travel the path of a medicine cat?"

"It is." The grey kit meowed confidently.

"Then from this day forth, you will be called Yellowpaw, and you will head for the Moonpool tomorrow for your proper ceremony. I'm sure Shallowfern will teach you well and I wish you a wonderful apprenticeship."

The kits bowled the apprentices over, cheering the loudest for the Clan's new apprentices despite their parents' protests.

"Bluepaw! Whitepaw! Yellowpaw! Bluepaw! Whitepaw! Yellowpaw! "

* * *

The next couple of moons passed in much the same vein, and soon it was time for the next set of apprentices, Firekit, Greykit and Ravenkit, to become apprentices. They were being grromed, as is normal for the ceremony, when chaos erupted in the form of a hawk's screech.

"Take cover!" Birchheart wailed, racing for the nursery.

"Cinderkit!" Firekit yowled. The little grey she-kit had not seen the hawk as it swept down and dove for its prey. She and Silverkit had been playing tag when the hawk was spotted, and Silverkit barely managed to duck out of the way, racing to a frantic Deerleap, who was trying her best to hustle all the kits to safety.

"Cinderkit, hold on! I'm coming!"

All his training from the old forest paid off as his mind raced. He raced up the Highledge and sprang for the hawk just as it got out of reach, clawing its scaly legs and nipping at its soft feathers.

The hawk screeched and released its burdens before flapping off with great, powerful wings. Firekit curled himself around Cinderkit and aimed for the fresh-kill pile. Their fall was softened by the dead bodies of ThunderClan's prey.

Cinderkit leapt to her paws and shook herself out with a groan.

"Firekit? Firekit, can you hear me?" She squeaked, prodding at his still ginger form. The bright orange tom shocked himself awake to stare into the kit's wide blue eyes.

"Cinderkit, thank StarClan..." He murmured, licking her forehead as he staggered to his paws.

"I can't lose you again. Not like that." He muttered as other cats crowded around them. Sandkit pressed her nose to his flank as Shallowfern and Yellowpaw sniffed him for injuries.

"You should have left it to one of the warriors." Sandkit insisted after passing Cinderkit off to her mother.

"I couldn't watch her get crushed all over again. Not when I could do something about it. You know what happened to Snowkit."

"You could have died, Firestar!" Sandkit hissed into his ears. "If you hadn't landed in the fresh-kill pile then you would have been crushed!"

"I had my chance, Sandstorm. I got to live my life exactly the way I wanted to while Cinderpelt paid for Bluestar's mistakes, for my mistakes!" He scowled as he struggled to his paws. "I couldn't let that happen again."

"We'll talk about this later, but he needs to be looked over." Yellowpaw informed Sandkit. The tan she-cat nodded.

"I… I'll go check on Cinderkit. She must be so scared-." Sandkit broke off and padded away.

"Thank you, Yellowfang." Firekit murmured, allowing himself to relax.

"Don't think you're not in trouble, you idiot. I would flay you if you didn't have such a good reason!" Yellowpaw spat.

"I had to save Cinderkit. Let that be enough."

* * *

"Great StarClan, Firekit, what were you thinking?!" Gingerpelt yelped, bounding into the den as soon as Shallowfern allowed her to. Forestheart followed at a more sedate pace along with Greypaw and Ravenpaw All of them had worried expressions on their faces.

"Are you okay? Can you feel anything? Where does it hurt?" Firekit was content to let Gingerpelt babble on and nose him to her heart's content, wary of his father's watchful gaze and his brothers' more furious ones. He had risked exposing everyone with that move, but he would maintain that he couldn't let Cinderkit go without at least trying to put up a fight, and they were lucky he had.

"Try keeping the heroics to a minimum, will you, Firekit?" Forestheart admonished. "We had just as much of a chance losing you as we did Cinderkit." His brothers nodded in agreement.

"That was brave, going after her like you did." Ravenkit muttered. "Mouse-brained, but brave."

* * *

Later that night, he felt something warm burrow into his side.

"Hello, Cinderkit. Does Birchheart know you're here?"

The little grey mass had tucked herself into the curve of his stomach and he shifted to make her more room.

"I'm sorry, Firestar." She whimpered. "I should have seen it."

"You were playing, as kits normally do. There was no reason for you to even think about looking up. It's okay, Cinderpelt. I got you back and you're alright. That's what matters."

"But you're hurt!" The she-kit exclaimed softly.

"Worth it." Firekit yawned. "Sleep, Cinderkit. I'll be here when you wake up."

* * *

An enraged Bluepaw came to visit him early the next morning with her nephew-turned-brother at her heels, an anxious look on the white tom's face.

"You absolute mouse-brain!" She roared upon sight of her former apprentice. "Has all of my time training you gone to waste?! You didn't think, Firestar, you're supposed to think before you leap! For the love of StarClan, have I taught you nothing?!" The grey she-cat screeched.

"It was your training that allowed me to help Cinderpelt. And how can you scold me when you wasted your last life doing the exact same thing?" Firepaw demanded.

"At least I'd lived my lives well." She hissed. "You're still a kit. You could have died and you would barely have lived!"

"I would gladly go back to StarClan if it meant I had the chance to save someone else." Firekit insisted. "I don't know why I was sent back. You all had things you wish you could do over but I lived my lives. All ten of them, and I lived them well. I don't know why they would send me back."

"You say that as though you think StarClan had a paw in this." Whitepaw offered, curious. "Do you?"

"Whoever did, they made a mistake. I was perfectly happy to let Sandstorm live her life." Firekit scowled. "And they messed everything up by dumping us all back in ThunderClan after StarClan knows how long it has been! So long that I doubt they remember me, much less anyone before me."

* * *

 **I don't know if I fixed this, but originally I was going to have Deerleap be Darkit, Cinderkit and Silverkit's mother, but I changed it to Birchheart for future plot purposes. What do you think? I'll try and update as much as I can, but I can't give any promises as to how often that will be.**

 **Cinderfire**


	3. Two: Parenting Blues

"Will you be my mentor again?" Cinderkit wondered as she was groomed for her ceremony. Darkpaw and Silverpaw had been made apprentices a few days before, with Firepaw, Greypaw and Ravenpaw, whereas Yellowpaw had been apprenticed alongside Bluepaw and Whitepaw, and they were already moons into their apprenticeship.

"I'm still an apprentice myself, silly. You have to be a warrior before you get an apprentice." Firepaw reminded the grey she-kit. "Be nice for whoever you get, understand? They're only trying to help you be the best warrior you can."

"But you were doing just fine!" Cinderkit protested.

"Come to think of it, you weren't even six moons old and I was already too young to be a warrior. It shouldn't have worked out."

"I'm glad it did, Fireheart. You were the best mentor ever."

"My leader skills could have used more work, that's for sure. Great StarClan, I was a fool." The ginger tom lamented briefly.

"But enough about me." He said, cutting Cinderkit off with a flick of his tail. "Lakestar just called you. It's time for your ceremony."

Firepaw nudged the grey she-kit to her paws and saw her off before he went to find Sandpaw. The tan apprentice sat in the shade of the Highstone, watching everything take place. She got to her paws and loped over to where Firepaw sat.

"You've been spending a lot of time with Cinderkit." She noted.

"I miss Squirrelflight and Leafpool." He admitted. "It feels good to be able to guide another cat."

Sandpaw didn't look at him for the rest of the ceremony.

* * *

He caught up with her later, while she was hunting in the forest.

"What did I say?" He asked frantically.

"Sandstorm, please! Why are you so upset?!"

"It's not you, Firestar. Not entirely." She sighed. "I just... I've been thinking about them too, and I can't help but wonder if… if we were good enough for them."

To be honest, Firepaw wasn't as shocked as he thought he'd be. Considering his thoughts earlier mirrored the ones she spoke aloud, none of this was a surprise.

"I mean, Squirrelflight's always been stubborn but then she ran off with Brambleclaw and Leafpool had kits with that WindClan tom- for StarClan's sake, they never told us!" Sandpaw wailed. "We were their parents, Firestar, they should have been able to tell us!"

Sandpaw collapsed at his feet and curled in on herself, tears streaming down her cheeks like a river.

"I'm sure they know we did our best, Sandstorm, but I had to lead ThunderClan and I needed your help. We had to provide for the Clan, and that took priority."

"It shouldn't have." She mumbled into his fur.

The sound of pawsteps shocked him to his feet, fur bristling as he did his best not to jolt Sandpaw too harshly. She twitched an ear and closed her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Bluepaw, Whitepaw, and their mentors, Fernshadow and Mousestep, stood before the couple and the scene shocked them. The younger cats snapped out of it first.

"Sandst-paw!" Whitepaw corrected himself as he bounded forward.

"What with StarClan- are you two alright?!" Bluepaw demanded. "Is she hurt?"

"Nothing a medicine cat can cure." Firepaw groused as Whitepaw stepped back. The white tom narrowed his yellow eyes.

"Explain this!" The normally calm apprentice growled.

"Not here." Firepaw hissed lowly. Whitepaw rolled his eyes and padded back to his group.

"They're better off without us, for now." He informed Bluepaw. The grey she-cat's mentor narrowed her eyes.

"Are you sure she doesn't need Shallowfern?" The brown tom wondered.

"What they need is to be alone." Whitepaw muttered sharply. Fernstep nodded.

"Head back to camp when you've gathered the rest of your prey." She ordered the pair. "If you're not back before we eat then we're sending cats after you."

"No need." Firepaw repeated Sandpaw's mumbled words. "We'll come back with you. She's just tired."

"In that case, I can carry her back." Fernstep offered.

* * *

The Clan was rightfully shocked upon their return. Firepaw placed Sandpaw's bounty of prey on the pile before joining the rest of the apprentices in the den. Fernstep had laid Sandpaw in her nest and the others crowded around the pair.

"What happened?" Dustpaw demanded.

"She collapsed after we started talking about our lives... before." Firepaw admitted. Sandpaw's eyes snapped open and she lifted her head to find the others staring at her and Firepaw. Grey fur clouded her vision as Cinderpaw slipped through to stand beside them.

"Back off!" The youngest member of the den hissed. "They don't have to tell you if they don't want to!"

The others seemed to get the message when no one moved for few more heartbeats and they went their own ways.

"Thank you, Cinderpelt." Sandpaw murmured. The former medicine cat nodded seriously. "You'll be okay, won't you?" She asked. "You've got Firestar, and whoever else you want, here for you, and you don't let anyone push you around. I'm sure whatever it is, you can get through it. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Not right now, thank you." Firepaw muttered.

Cinderpaw dipped her head and left them alone.

"I don't think I've ever felt so weak in my life!" The former leader's mate growled feebly.

"We can only be strong so many times." Firepaw sighed as he flopped down beside her.

* * *

"What happened to Sandpaw?" Lakestar had called for Bluepaw and Whitepaw, and the two apprentices sat before him and his mate, Birchheart.

 _ **This is way too familiar for my liking.**_ Whitepaw groused internally. He could easily recall a young Firestar, with Sandstorm forever at his side... he shook himself out and glanced at his aunt beside him. She had yet to speak and he didn't know what to say...

"Was it Firepaw?" Birchheart wondered aloud.

"What? No!" Whitepaw snapped. "Firest-paw would never hurt Sandpaw. He'd have plenty of angry cats to deal with if he ever did."

"If you want to know what happened then you'll be better off asking them." Bluepaw (and it felt so weird to call her that) informed the couple.

"Very well, you two. Go on about your day." Lakestar meowed. The siblings nodded respectfully and raced off.

* * *

"Oh, Sandpaw, are you alright?" Fawnpelt asked when she caught sight of her daughter. The tan she-cat nodded to the older queen.

"Fine." She mewed. "Just tired. Firepaw let me talk at him."

"You know, you can come to me if you ever need anything. Your father too, dear. We're here for you." Her mother insisted. Sandpaw nodded and leaned into Fawnpelt for a few moments.

"Thank you, Mother." She murmured into the soft, brown pelt.

Sandpaw padded back to the apprentice's den to find Ravenpaw, Darkpaw and Greypaw sitting side by side, Greypaw telling old legends. They all looked up when the entrance to the den rustled and Sandpaw stepped in.

"Feel any better?" Ravenpaw wondered. His gaze was genuinely concerned.

"A little." She admitted. "Firepaw helped. Do you know where he is?"

"He and Silverpaw were part of a hunting patrol toward the WindClan border." Darkpaw informed the tan apprentice. "Greypaw has been telling me stories, and Ravenpaw's been making him tell the truth, for the most part."

"He's not lying, Darkpaw." Ravenpaw offered. "Not intentionally."

"Your legends are interesting, and these two think that the Clans here may only know half of them. Do you truly believe that your Clans have forgotten the reason they still stand?"

"There are some stories our elders didn't even know when we were apprentices. We're so far into the future, I doubt they remember anything past the Great Journey, if they remember that." Greypaw scoffed.

"In the city we didn't have tales like the Clans. I suppose the closest thing we could have gotten was what happened to BloodClan, but nothing spread so rapidly and we were hardly so organized to be trading gossip. Everyone hated each other." Darkpaw recalled.

"It's better here, isn't it?" Cinderpaw mumbled as she dragged brambles into the den. "Maggotclaw wants us to reinforce the dens. Yellowpaw and I did the Warriors' den and the nursery, and the elders were taken care of by Firepaw and Silverpaw earlier, so you three get to do the apprentice den and the medicine den." The solid, dark grey she-cat meowed, spitting.

"I thought you were supposed to avoid the thistles." Darkpaw chuckled as he started to prod her for thorns.

"Just watch, you'll step on one of these someday, and don't come crying to me when you do!" The former medicine cat growled crossly.

"You're not the medicine cat anymore, Cinderpaw." Sandpaw chuckled.

"I can still pull out thorns!" The grey apprentice grumbled.

"I'm sure you can, Cinderpaw." Darkpaw snorted playfully.

"Why you-!"

"Knock it off, you two. Some of us have dawn patrol." Whitepaw yawned as he entered the den, stumbling blindly toward his nest.

"Whitestorm, are you alright?!" Sandpaw demanded, nosing her former mentor as he eased himself into his nest.

"Fine, child. Just fine. I'm more worried about you, anyway. What happened with Firepaw?" He asked.

"It wasn't..." She sighed and rested her head on her paws. "I saw him sitting with Cinderpaw before her ceremony, and when I asked him about it, he said he missed Squirrelflight and Leafpool. I... I couldn't look at him after that, and when you found us earlier..."

"We were horrible parents, Whitestorm, and it hurt to realize that we'd neglected our kits." Firepaw decided to step in, having heard where the conversation was going. He knew Sandpaw wouldn't be able to admit this so easily a second time.

"Fox-dung to that, you two!" Greypaw spat. "You've done more than enough, for the Clan as well as your family."

"Everything you two did was for the good of your kits, in the long run." Cinderpaw agreed.

"We ran them off, is what we did." Firepaw groused. "I'm surprised they came back at all... We're not asking for your sympathy, any of you. This is something we need to work out on our own, for if we ever do have kits again."

"You have a point," Bluepaw meowed fairly. "But everyone makes mistakes. What matters is that you don't let them consume you, and you try to make things better. That's the only way anything will change."

"Your daughters know that you have their best interests and the fact that you're sitting here agonizing over it proves me right..." Whitepaw meowed reassuringly. "Now, go to sleep, all of you." He mumbled as he did just that.


	4. Three: Problems with Memory

Something prodded him sharply and he lashed out, letting instinct take over. A loud yowl had his disgruntled denmates on their paws, ready for attack.

"By the stars, Squirrelpaw, don't you know better than to creep up on a-!" Firepaw was snarling, eyes wild as he relived something far away.

The ginger tom found himself staring into the shocked gaze of-.

"Forestheart?! Great StarClan, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you at all-!" Firepaw yelped as he scrambled to release his father.

"Clearly." Darkpaw chuckled, flicking a tired paw.

"Shut up, T- Darkpaw!" The ginger tom hissed to his former half-brother.

"Who-." The confused tom was cut off by Sandpaw's disapproving mew.

" _ **Please**_ tell me you didn't-."  
"Of course not!" Firepaw groused. Sandpaw glared at her friend, and the fiery tom deflated. "Maybe once or twice…" More glaring and Firepaw sank into his nest. "I had nightmares, okay?! How am I supposed to tell-."  
"Um, Firepaw?" Bluepaw approached her former apprentice warily. "We should probably see what Forestheart wants."

"Who? Bluestar, what are you talking about?" Bluepaw gulped and cast a wary glance at the warrior among them.

"Come with me, Firepaw. You need to see Yellowfang."

"I'm fine!" Firepaw snapped, shaking himself out. "It was nothing, just a dream. I take it we have dawn patrol? It feels too early to be awake."

"Yes," Whitepaw meowed. "Some of us do."  
"Alright, who's going? I assume that's what you're here to tell us." He grumbled, turning to the older warrior.

"Y- yes, I was going to wake you, Cinderpaw and Darkpaw." The grey tom meowed. "You, your mentors and Lakestar, make up the patrol."

So Birchheart, Forestheart, and Nightstep would be joining them… great. And he'd basically given himself away to his father, of all cats!

"Great StarClan, how mouse-brained am I?!" He scowled as he stalked out of the den.

"Fireh-."

"Cinderpaw, I'm not in the mood. Go with Ti- Darkpaw, catch up with the rest of the patrol. I bet they're waiting for us at the entrance."

The grey she-cat dipped her head and her mumbled reply of "Yes, Fireheart." Made Forestheart's eyes widen in surprise.

"What-?"

"We'll talk later, dad, I swear, but I can't right now. I need to clear my head before anything else happens." Firepaw meowed. He turned to the others.

"I probably ruined everything." He warned in a self-deprecating growl.

"All we can do is pick up from here and hope for the best." Bluepaw sighed. "StarClan watches us still, Firepaw. Remember that."

"Always." He dipped his head before following his father to the the others.

"What took you so long?" Nightstep wondered.

"Firepaw had a nightmare, was all. He should be fine now." The grey tom assured the others.

"Let's go." Firepaw growled to the apprentices and stalked into the forest.

* * *

The lake hadn't changed much since he'd been around, and he was glad to say that he knew almost every pawstep of the land they patrolled.

By the time the others caught up with him, he had caught a squirrel and was well on his way to stalking a bird that pecked a branch halfway up a tree. He flicked his tail for silence. The others fell quiet, once they realized what he was so focused on.

The woodpecker, sensing that something was wrong, began to flap its tiny wings at lightning speed, a buzzing noise emanating from it. Firepaw sprang, knocking it out of the air and sending the dazed bird tumbling toward the ground, where Cinderpaw killed it with a quick bite to its throat.

Firepaw righted himself and landed on solid paws, giving a small bounce from the force and crouching to lessen the impact.

"Well done, Cinderpaw. First catch was very impressive. The orange tom chuckled. "And on the first try, as well."

"Couldn't have climbed the tree, that's for sure." The grey apprentice snorted.

"You'll get used to it." Darkpaw assured her. "That was a fine kill, nonetheless."

Cinderpaw grinned at her older brother and her former mentor. The adults watched, slightly amused, as they tried to make sense of what had just occurred.

"You shouldn't have gone off without us, Firepaw. This is only your third or fourth time out. You don't know what could be lurking in the bushes, and you have no right to ignore us and try to order us around. If we hadn't seen what you were doing, I'm sure Birchheart would have clawed your ears off for such a move." Lakestar scolded.

"He-!" Firepaw cut Darkpaw off with a look.

"You're right, I was out of line. I have a squirrel buried back there and Cinderpaw caught her first piece of prey. I knew what I was doing, to some extent, but since you are the leader, I do trust your judgement and I will follow your orders."

"Sandpaw's going to laugh when she finds out why you're in trouble." Cinderpaw snickered. "Just think, getting chewed out by the _leader_."

"No doubt she will." The former leader snorted.

"Shall we continue?" Birchheart growled impatiently. The light grey, spotted she-cat didn't have much time for games, and Cinderpaw often figured she was so snooty because she was mates with Lakestar. How conceited would she be if she were a crippled warrior with no one to care for her, the former medicine cat often wondered.

"Of course." Cinderpaw purred sweetly. Darkpaw's face mirrored Cinderpaw's thoughts and the grey she-cat brushed past the black tom on her way to bury the freshly-killed bird. With that, Firepaw turned to pad deeper into the forest. _If only they knew…_

* * *

Firestar was sick of all of this. The warriors treated him like he was a joke and it was hard enough, waking up to realize that his entire life was gone while he was in StarClan.. Now he had to act normal around a bunch of strange cats while the friends and family he once had were so close yet so painfully far away…

He raced through the forest, not caring as the branches whipped his pelt and the undergrowth tore at his fur. The only good thing about being back in ThunderClan was that he was used to the territory… which was why he stopped when he did.

More that a few fox-lengths away, were a group of ShadowClan warriors, presumably checking their borders as well. Among them were two brown tabbies who were eerily familiar. One had darker stripes and more scars and the other's tail hung limply against one of his back legs. They were the first to notice him.

He froze. Tigerclaw… and Brokenstar? They had identical smirks on their faces, and Tigerclaw _winked at him_! The two brown toms were clearly apprentices, though more around Bluestar-paw's age than his own.

"We meet again, kittypet." Brokenstar sneered.

"Watch your back, Firepaw." Tigerclaw growled. "I will find you, and I'll enjoy every second watching the life leave your eyes."

"Tigerpaw! Stripepaw! We're leaving!" Firepaw backed away slowly, not taking his eyes off of the ShadowClan apprentices until they started to pad after their mentors.

That was when Cinderpaw appeared, with Darkpaw not far behind.

"Firepaw! There you are! Why'd you run off like that…? Are you alright?"

Darkpaw had his eyes trained on the two tabbies as they padded away.

"One of them looks… familiar, almost." He commented. "Is that-?"

"Tigerclaw!" Cinderpaw whimpered, shrinking into Firepaw's side.

"That's the arrogant furball who thought he could use my cats and get away with it!" Scourge sneered. "Could use me and get away with it!" The dark tom made to race after them. "I'm going to prove him wrong!"

Firepaw snapped out of his daze and knocked the black tom away from the border.

"Why did you do that?!" Darkpaw snapped.

"It's not ShadowClan we fight, Darkpaw! Yes, Tigerclaw wronged you, he wronged the entire forest, but so did you, and you don't see me about to rip your fur off!" The ginger tom snarled. "There's a time and a place for everything, Darkpaw. Now is not the time, and this is definitely not the place. We're at peace with the Clans, and things need to stay that way for a while."

"Wise words, for one so young." The adults had caught up with them, and witnessed part of the argument. It was Forestheart who spoke aloud, but Firepaw blocked him out, focusing on the two apprentices.

"What do we tell the others?" Cinderpaw asked meekly.  
"The truth, of course." Darkpaw offered. "It's likely that they already know. Some of them, anyway."

Firepaw turned to the adults.

"Can we go back to camp, please?" He growled out. Lakestar nodded, stunned, and the ginger tom tore off, with Cinderpaw and Darkpaw on his heels.

* * *

"Firepaw found Brokenstar and Tigerclaw!" Cinderpaw wailed when the three apprentices reached the den. Whitepaw was in his nest, although he looked far more alert, so he likely went out. Ravenpaw shot up and his head hit the roof.

"Ow!" He yelped.

Silverpaw whimpered and curled into Greypaw, who stood taller with unsheathed claws.

"We cannot let those fox-dung excuse for traitors wreck the forest again!" He growled.

"Hold on, Greypaw!" Whitepaw snapped. "Did they say anything?"  
"I'm sorry, Whitestorm… it's them. Brokenstar called me a kittypet and Tigerclaw told me the same thing he did in the old forest."

"What are we going to do?" Silverpaw wondered.

"We're all apprentices. What _can_ we do?" Greypaw scoffed.

"Lakestar wants to talk to you, Firepaw. He seemed pretty upset. You too Cinderpaw, Darkpaw." Nightstep poked his head into the den to relay the news and the three named cats nodded and followed him to the leader's den. Forestheart, Gingerpelt, Birchheart, and Lakestar, were all waiting for them in the den. Nightstep joined the adults and Lakestar spoke once everyone was settled.

"Our apprentices have been acting strange lately." He began. "Firepaw, in particular, caused a fair amount of trouble today."  
The ginger tom let out something of a low growl and flexed his claws. "He seems to think we've switched places."  
Cinderpaw cut everyone off with a soft snicker, hunching over with effort.

"I'm sorry, it's something I remembered from a dream. Please, continue."  
"See?!" Birchheart snapped. "This good-for-nothing apprentice dares to challenge my mate-."  
Cinderpaw leapt to her paws and opened her mouth to speak, but Firepaw cut her off with a flick of his tail. She deflated, with a furious gleam in her eyes.

"That!" Nightstep exclaimed. "Why are you doing that? Better yet, why are they listening?! Even the best of leaders aren't able to be so commanding with one move!"

"Then clearly you know nothing of leadership." Darkpaw sneered. Firepaw rolled his eyes and got to his paws.

"Throw it all away, why don't you?!" He snapped.

"Don't be so foolish, Ginger. They were going to find out anyway."

"Don't call me that. That's my mother's name."

"It's also the color of your fur." Darkpaw deadpanned.

"If you insist, Blackfur." He scowled.

"Just call me Blackie. You'll get the hang of it."

"Sure thing, Blackie, now what do we tell them?"

"The truth, of course. There's no way around it."

"Then we need to consult the others first. This involves them just as much as it does me."

"It disturbs me, how eager you are to bring your friends down with you." Darkpaw offered.

"That's not it at all." Cinderpaw objected. "He's thinking more about how they would react to being left out. Especially Sandst-paw. StarClan knows she'd claw your ears off."

"Got that right... and use my fur to line her nest."

"What are you calling each other outside of being apprentices?" Forestheart wondered.

"It's a game!" Cinderpaw blurted out. "We formed our own Clan, decided our names and everything. It's awesome, just ask any of the other apprentices!"

"And how do you play this so-called game?" Lakestar wondered. Firepaw brightened significantly. Clever one, Cinderpaw!

"Well, for starters, it's supposed to stop once we become warriors because you might think we're strange, otherwise. We're imitating a Clan, you see? We choose our leader and deputy, which, at the moment are Bluestar and Fireheart. I'm Cinderpelt, and this is Darkflight. The others are Greystripe, Ravenwing, Whitestorm, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Yellowfang, and Silverstream. Fireheart wasn't deputy for long because Bluestar got severely injured in a badger attack. She was forced to step down because she couldn't be a warrior anymore, so Fireheart had to do a lot on his own as he transitioned."

"And what are you, in this game?" Nightstep wondered.

"I was going to be a warrior, but my leg got twisted in a fox trap so I might be a medicine cat. I've been following Shallowfern and Yellowfang long enough to get some skill out of it."

"Not if I can help it." Firepaw groused. Cinderpaw rolled her eyes and turned a serious look on the bright orange tom. "My leader you may have been, but you do not control the stars. Remember that, Firestar, before your arrogance becomes your downfall."

"Of course, oh wise medicine cat." The ginger tom dipped his head. "Anyway, Yellowfang has retained her status as medicine cat while the rest of us are warriors. So we do have a reason for acting how we do, but apparently Firepaw doesn't know when to stop being such a mouse-brain!"

"Yes, well being leader is not something you forget overnight. Your talent for herbs will serve you well, even as a warrior. I think we can forgive some of your rash behavior, but keep this game in the apprentice den."

"Yes, Lakestar." The three cats chorused.

"Clever, kit." Darkpaw snickered.

"Clever indeed. Well done, Cinderpaw. You've got them off our backs for now."

"It was the most I could think of at the time." The grey female admitted. "There are probably some holes..."

"Don't fret, Cinderpaw. You did well enough, for being put on the spot like that. It's better than anything we could have come up with, that's for sure." Firepaw offered.

* * *

"What did Lakestar want?"

Firepaw didn't get to know Silverpaw as well as he wanted to back in the old forest, but as the silver she-cat raced toward her new siblings, he couldn't help but admire her. She was able to fit in so easily with cats she hardly knew before they all ended up here. Scourge wasn't around when she was and she'd only met Cinderpelt twice, once on her deathbed, and that was a brief, sad meeting for everyone. The fact that she reacted so genuinely for cats she barely knew gave Firepaw hope that he would be able to do the same.

"We kind of messed up on the patrol because I'm still adjusting to being an apprentice. It was hard enough in the old forest, when I didn't know anything. This, after being leader for seasons, is infuriating!" Firepaw wailed. "I just have to get used to it, is all."

"You did have an unusual time of things, I'll give you that." Whitestorm -paw, Whitepaw! meowed honestly. "But nothing is considered normal when you're a warrior. We have to be prepared as best we can, and that means fitting in and figuring out who else was reborn alongside us."


End file.
